title: Using qualitative research in the management of health care.
abstract: Studying everyday life of health care clients and workers can increase the nurse administrator's understanding of the process and impact of changes occurring in today's health care environment. In this article the authors describe qualitative research and the contributions it can make to health care management. Examples of published qualitative research in four areas (organizational behavior, organizational processes, individual perceptions, and leaders' roles and functions) illustrate these contributions. Ways in which nurse administrators can apply qualitative research methods to their work are addressed, including needs assessment, marketing, and program evaluation.
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas School of Nursing, Kansas City 66160-7502, USA.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hoffart
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Bradley
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D015401:Nursing Administration Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009745:Nursing, Supervisory / Q000458:organization & administration*